The purpose of the Rehabilitation Engineering Research Center (RERC) program is to improve the effectiveness of services authorized under the Rehabilitation Act by conducting advanced engineering research on and development of innovative technologies that are designed to solve particular rehabilitation problems or to remove environmental barriers for people with disabilities. RERCs also demonstrate and evaluate such technologies, facilitate service delivery system changes, stimulate the production and distribution of new technologies and equipment in the private sector, and provide training opportunities.
NIDILRR-Initiated RERC on Universal Access to Information and Communication Technology: NIDILRR seeks to fund an RERC to address the universal accessibility and usability of information and communication technology (ICT) for people with disabilities. This RERC will conduct research and development activities toward knowledge, strategies, and tools to make existing and next-generation ICT accessible to people with a wide range of disabilities. This RERC will research and develop new accessibility models and approaches to address the rapidly evolving interface techniques and technologies that do not take into account the needs and variance among people with disabilities. In addition, this RERC will promote collaboration between appropriate agencies, associations, organizations, groups, and individuals to help ensure that accessibility principles and standards are applied to all ICT.
The RERC must conduct research and development activities toward ICT that:
For further program details, see p. 4 of the FOA in Attached Files.
Estimated Total Program Funding:
